The invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for producing a fruit product, and, more particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing a high-quality, well-defined fruit product.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,088 (xe2x80x9cthe ""088 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses a process for producing a fruit product. In the ""088 patent process, a rapid cyclical or pulsed vacuum extracts up to 98% of the juice from a fruit by xe2x80x9cpumpingxe2x80x9d the juice out of the fruit. By pumping the juice out of the fruit, the maximize amount of juice can be extracted from the fruit. The xe2x80x9cfruitxe2x80x9d that remains after pumping is then infused with a solution of sugar and food acids. One process for infusing the fruit with a solution of sugar and food acids, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,071, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference, involves the use of a flowing stream of sugar solution. It is important to note that, in the ""088 patent process, food acids must be xe2x80x9cadded backxe2x80x9d during infusion in order to provide the fruit product with xe2x80x9ca xe2x80x98fruityxe2x80x99 taste.xe2x80x9d
U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,861 (xe2x80x9cthe ""861 patentxe2x80x9d), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference, also discloses a process for producing a fruit product. In the ""861 patent process, a countercurrent process extracts up to 96% of the juice from the fruit. The xe2x80x9cfruitxe2x80x9d that remains is then infused, also using a countercurrent process, with a solution of sugar and fruit juice, the amount of fruit juice being either equal in concentration, or greater in concentration, to the amount of fruit juice remaining in the xe2x80x9cfruit.xe2x80x9d When the amount of fruit juice is equal in concentration, the small amount of juice remaining in the extracted fruit remains in the fruit. The fruit product, however, may lack a xe2x80x9cfruityxe2x80x9d taste. When the amount of fruit juice is greater in concentration, juice is xe2x80x9cadded backxe2x80x9d to the fruit, thereby providing the fruit product with a xe2x80x9cfruityxe2x80x9d taste.
International Patent Application WO 98/03072, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference, further discloses a process for producing a fruit product. In this process, up to 80% of the juice from the fruit is extracted by xe2x80x9cpressingxe2x80x9d the juice out of the fruit. While the fruit product may have a xe2x80x9cfruityxe2x80x9d taste, pressing the fruit both damages the cells in the fruit and reduces the surface area of the fruit. Even if the fruit is xe2x80x9cplumped upxe2x80x9d (after pressing and prior to infusion) with juice, the fruit product is not well-defined because pressed fruit can never be returned to the plumpness of the fruit prior to pressing.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for producing a fruit product that is well-defined and does not need to have juice xe2x80x9cadded backxe2x80x9d to the fruit.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a method for producing a fruit product, the fruit product including soluble fruit components, extracts a desired amount of the soluble fruit components from the fruit and infuses the extracted fruit with an infusion liquid having an amount of sugar and an amount of soluble fruit components, the amount of soluble fruit components formulated to diffuse a predetermined amount of the soluble fruit components remaining in the extracted fruit into the infusion liquid. In an additional embodiment of the invention, the amount of soluble fruit components is further formulated to maintain the integrity of the infusion liquid.
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the process of extracting includes bathing the fruit in an aqueous solution. In a further alternate embodiment of the invention, the aqueous solution is substantially devoid of sugar and soluble fruit components. In another alternate embodiment of the invention, the processes of extracting and infusing are carried out in batches. In a still another alternate embodiment of the invention, the fruit is sliced prior to extracting.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the process of infusing includes infusing the extracted fruit with a first infusion liquid comprising a first amount of sugar and a first amount of soluble fruit components, the first amount of soluble fruit components formulated to diffuse a first predetermined amount of the soluble fruit components remaining in the extracted fruit into the first infusion liquid, continuing infusing with the first infusion liquid until the first amount of sugar in the first infusion liquid equals a desired amount, and infusing the extracted fruit with a second infusion liquid comprising a second amount of sugar and a second amount of soluble fruit components, the second amount of soluble fruit components formulated to diffuse a second predetermined amount of the soluble fruit components remaining in the extracted fruit into the second infusion liquid.
In other further embodiments of the invention, at least some of the soluble fruit components extracted from the fruit is collected, or at least some of the infusion liquid is collected, or at least some of the infusion liquid is collected and prepared for re-use in a subsequent batch of fruit. In one embodiment of the invention, the process of preparing the infusion liquid for re-use includes evaporating the collected infusion liquid until the amount of sugar in the solution reaches a first desired amount, and adding sugar to the collected infusion liquid until the amount of sugar in the solution reaches a second desired amount.
In still other further embodiments of the invention, the sugar in the infusion liquid is replaced with a fruit juice concentrate, the infusion liquid further comprises a nutraceutical, the fruit product further comprises a flavoring different from the flavoring of the fruit, or the fruit is a cranberry. In addition, in another embodiment of the invention, the ratio of infusion liquid to fruit is, by weight, substantially 4 to 1.
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the desired amount of the soluble fruit components extracted from the fruit is between 45-50%, the BRIX of the infusion liquid is substantially 70, and the acid content of the infusion liquid is substantially 1.2%. In another alternate embodiment of the invention, the desired amount of the soluble fruit components extracted from the fruit is between 60-65%, the BRIX of the infusion liquid is substantially 70, and the acid content of the infusion liquid is substantially 0.85%.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a cranberry fruit product produced from a cranberry, the cranberry including soluble fruit components, comprises a cranberry piece, from which a desired amount of the soluble fruit components have been extracted, the cranberry piece including an amount of sugar and an amount of soluble fruit components, the amount of soluble fruit components formulated to diffuse a predetermined amount of the soluble fruit components remaining in the extracted fruit into the infusion liquid. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the sugar in the solution is replaced with a fruit juice concentrate. In a further alternate embodiment of the invention, the fruit product further includes a flavoring different from the flavoring of the cranberry.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, an apparatus for producing a fruit product from a fruit, the fruit including soluble fruit components, comprises a tank having a top opening, a sidewall, a bottom, and a bottom opening; the top opening of the tank being larger in size than the bottom opening of the tank, first piping disposed within the tank, the first piping allowing fluids to disperse around the circumference of the tank, second piping being disposed within the tank, the second piping allowing fluids to disperse over the top opening of the tank, and a stirring arm disposed within the tank, the stirring arm capable of circulating the contents of the tank. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the apparatus further comprises one or more outlets in the bottom of the tank and a screen partially covering the inside bottom surface of the bottom of the tank.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the stirring arm is configured as two parallel, horizontal bars connected by a perpendicular, vertical bar, the perpendicular bar being shorter in length than the parallel bars. In a still further embodiment of the invention, the top opening of the tank may be substantially round in shape, and the bottom of the tank may be substantially frusto-conical in shape.
In other embodiments of the invention, the first piping may be used to disperse an extraction liquid, or used to disperse an infusion liquid. In additional embodiments of the invention, the second piping may be used to disperse an infusion liquid, or the soluble fruit components of the fruit may be drained from the tank through the outlet in the bottom of the tank. In still additional embodiments of the invention, an infusion liquid is drained from the tank through the outlet in the bottom of the tank, or the fruit is drained from the tank through the bottom opening. In one embodiment of the invention, the fruit is drained from the tank as a fluid mass through the bottom opening.